"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
— Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Proverbs 16:3 is the "commit to the Lord whatever you do" verse, from a chapter of Proverbs about human plans and God's direction. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Proverbs 16, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about work, Bible verses about God's plan, and Bible verses about surrender.
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The verse
The King James reads: "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."
"Commit" is galal (H1556), literally to roll, as in rolling a weight off yourself and onto someone else. "Whatever you do" (KJV "works") is ma'aseh (H4639), deeds or work. "Plans" (KJV "thoughts") is machashabah (H4284), plans or intentions, and "establish" is kun (H3559), to make firm or set up.
Where it sits in Proverbs 16
Proverbs 16 opens with a run of sayings about plans. Verse 1: "To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue." Verse 2: "All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord." Verse 3 is the instruction that follows: hand the work to the Lord.
Later in the chapter, verse 9 says it again from another side: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." And the chapter ends with verse 33: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."
What the verse is saying
Proverbs does not tell you to stop planning. It assumes you will plan and work. What it asks is that you roll the work onto the Lord: bring it to him, trust him with the outcome, and let him make it firm.
"He will establish your plans" is not a promise that every plan you bring will turn out the way you drew it. Verses 1, 2, and 9 make clear that God weighs the motives and directs the steps. The plans that stand are the ones he sets up. The same word for "commit" shows up in Psalm 37:5: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him."
Questions people ask
What does Proverbs 16:3 say?
In the NIV it says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." The KJV says, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."
What does Proverbs 16:3 mean?
It means bringing your work and plans to God and trusting him with them. The Hebrew word for "commit" means to roll, like rolling a burden onto someone stronger. God then makes firm the plans that are in line with his purposes.
Does Proverbs 16:3 mean God will make all my plans succeed?
Not every plan. The same chapter says the Lord weighs motives (16:2) and establishes our steps even when we plan our course (16:9). The promise is that what you entrust to him, he will set on firm ground.
What does "commit" mean in Proverbs 16:3?
The Hebrew word galal means to roll. The picture is rolling something heavy off your own shoulders and onto the Lord. Psalm 37:5 uses the same word: "Commit your way to the Lord."
What other verses are like Proverbs 16:3?
Psalm 37:5 (commit your way to the Lord), Proverbs 3:5-6 (trust in the Lord with all your heart), and Jeremiah 29:11 (plans to prosper you and not to harm you) are close companions.
